Mary Louise (Luisa) Grajeda Duarte

Mary Louise Duarte passed away peacefully of natural causes at the Oakmont Rest Care Center in Fresno, California on May 29, 2020. Mary Louise was born on July 4, 1920 in Santa Paula, CA to Ezekiel and Guadalupe Grajeda.

She married Robert Duarte on May 11, 1939 in Visalia, and together they raised six children. Louise is survived by her children: son Edward Ross Duarte (Linda), daughter Marina Linda Westcott (Jerry), son Robert Gabriel Duarte (Kris), daughter Mona Elisa Spate (Rick), son Roman Michael Duarte (Janie), and daughter Ellena Louise Cassidy (Shawn). She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 9 great-great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband Robert; her parents, Ezekiel and Guadalupe; her four sisters, Consuelo, Isabel, Junie, Mary and brothers Edmund and Ezekiel.

By 1950, Robert was able to build Louise her dream home located on West Mineral King Avenue where they raised their family. She was an integral and supportive partner of Robert when he started the family construction business.

The celebration of her birthday on the 4 of July with a BBQ became a treasured family tradition. Louise continued to live in their family home after his passing in 2008 until she moved to the Oakmont Rest Care Center in 2015.

Louise was a dedicated mother and homemaker who took that role as being sacred. She was a Den Mother for Cub Scouts, supported her girls in the Brownies, was a 15-year member of the PTA, attended all her kid's athletic games, volunteered for CASA, and taught sewing in the 4-H Club. She was a longtime member of Beta Sigma Phi participating in many fund raisers for charity and in the late 70's after five of her kids were gone, worked in retail sales for Remars.

But her most important influence on her family was her strong faith in God and her active participation as a 64-year member of the Visalia Assembly of God Church where she taught Sunday School for many years.

When Robert retired in 1976 the two of them enjoyed many years of happy retirement that included extensive travels all over the world. Together they visited China, England, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Mexico.

An afternoon visitation will be held at the Miller Memorial Chapel at 1120 West Goshen Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291 on Thursday, June 18, 2020 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Services will be held at the Miller Memorial Chapel on Friday morning, June 19, 2020 10:00 AM. Interment will follow in the Visalia Cemetery at noon.

Tributes and condolences may be made at www.millerchapel.com.